Aras River

News: The Aras River is strategically located along the borders in the Caucasus and is in focus amid regional geopolitical tensions.

About Aras River

• It is a transboundary river in the Caucasus.
  • Caucasus is a region between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea.
• It forms natural boundaries between countries such as Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran, and Turkey.
• It is one of the longest rivers in the Caucasus.
• Course: It originates near the city of Erzurum in Turkey.
  • It then flows through the country to meet the Akhuryan River southeast of the Turkish district of Digor.
  • It then flows along the border between Armenia and Turkey, and later along the borders between Iran and Armenia, and Iran and Azerbaijan.
  • Finally, the Aras River enters the Kura River in the Azerbaijan city of Sabirabad and drains into the Caspian Sea.
• Tributary of: It is also the largest tributary of the Kura River.
• Total length: Its total length is around 1,072 km.
• Dams on river: The most important Dam on the river is the Aras Dam.
  • It was built in the 20th century by Iran and the Soviet Union.
• The UNESCO World Heritage site Saint Stepanos Monastery is located near the Aras river.
• Two historical bridges called the Khodaafarin Bridges are also located along the Aras River.